Where does “goldfinch” come from?
goldfinch (Middle English) comes from Old English goldfinċ, from Old English gold, from Proto-Germanic gulþą, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰl̥tóm, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰelh₃- — to flourish; green, yellow.
Ancestry of “goldfinch”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | goldfinċ | — |
| 2 | Old English | gold | gold |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | gulþą | gold |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰl̥tóm | gold |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰelh₃- | to flourish; green, yellow |
Words derived from “goldfinch”